Saxquest is thrilled to host a FREE recital/clinic at the shop this Saturday with saxophonist
and D’Addario Reserve Method Artist, Jeff Collins (Saturday Oct. 3 at 2PM). Jeff is one of the most sensitive musicians you will ever have the opportunity to hear. He absorbs himself completely in the music and manipulates the sound coming from his saxophone with vocal-like expression. He’s one of those rare musicians who plays every note and every space between every note with meaning and purpose. Mr. Collins will be performing a recital in concert with Amanda Kirkpatrick on piano.

With degrees in clarinet and saxophone, Jeffrey Collins has performed in a wide variety of musical settings. For over twenty years he has performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under conductors David Robertson, Hans Vonk, Marin Alsop, Robert Spano, and Leonard Slatkin. He has toured nationally with the Jimmy Dorsey Big Band in the lead alto chair and has performed with stars like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, Al Jarreau, Art Garfunkel, and Bernadette Peters, to name just a few. Jeffrey is a winner of the prestigious Coleman Chamber Music Competition and was a finalist in the 1995 Geneva Concours. He is currently Adjunct Instructor of Saxophone at Missouri State University. He was recently named a D’Addario Reserve Method Artist. Jeffrey performs on the Buffet Senzo alto saxophone and the Buffet R-13 clarinet.

Amanda Kirkpatrick, a native of Canada, has appeared as soloist with numerous orchestras both in North America and Russia. After coming to the United Sates to study with Jane Allen, she appeared frequently in recital and won numerous awards and competitions. In 1992, she won the Artist Presentation Society Award and was presented in a highly successful debut recital. In December 1993, Ms. Kirkpatrick toured Russia with orchestral appearances in Samara and Togliati, and recitals in Samara and Moscow. Ms. Kirkpatrick currently resides in St. Louis where she has an active performing and teaching career. In 1998, she gave performances and clinics in West Palm Beach Florida with the Modern American Music Group, Synchronia. She is a founding member of the piano trio Trinity and is an examiner with the Royal Conservatory of Music. Ms. Kirkpatrick maintains a private studio in addition to being on the piano faculty at Washington University.

This is a very unique event for Saxquest and one not to miss! Remember our enthusiasm to continue hosting these events is entirely dependent on your attendance!! I hope to see you out this Saturday. Please tell everyone you know.

Also mark your calendar:
Saturday Oct 17 – 2PM-4PM – ADAM LARSON
Saturday Oct 31 – 2PM-4PM – JOEL VANDERHYDEN – KOPLANT NO
Saturday Nov 14 – 2PM-4PM – FRANK CATALANO
Saturday Apr 23 – evening – DAVID LIEBMAN

Saxquest is thrilled to host a FREE performance at the shop this Saturday with St. Louis living legend, clarinetist, Scott Alberici (Saturday Aug. 22 from 2-4PM).

Known for his superbly rich and warm tone, lyrical phrasing and command of the American songbook, Mr. Alberici has developed a personal style that is instantly recognizable. His rare ability to capture the moment with subtlety of expression mixed with brilliant and melodic improvisations will keep the listener on the edge of their seat from the drop of the downbeat to the end of the performance.

We’re also thrilled to welcome for the first time on the Saxquest stage, Kara Baldus-Vandiver, who will be joining Mr. Alberici on the piano. Mrs Baldus-Vandiver is a seasoned jazz musician and a formidable voice on piano. Listening to her play, one can, at times, pick up hints of the great Bill Evans.

This jazz duet setting is the perfect venue for these two wonderful musicians to stretch out and wrap their voices around each other in musical interplay. This will not be one to miss!!! See you on SATURDAY!!!

Also mark your calendar:
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Saturday Sept 25 2PM-4PM – MARCUS STRICKLAND
Saturday Oct 10 – 2PM-4PM – ADAM LARSON
Saturday Oct 31 – 2PM-4PM – JOEL VANDERHYDEN – KOPLANT NO
Saturday Apr 23 – evening – DAVID LIEBMAN

Saxquest is honored to host a presentation of the new Selmer Paris Clarinets at our first ever Selmer-Paris Clarinet Day this SATURDAY from noon-2PM. This will be a wine & cheese (or non-alcoholic choice) style OPEN HOUSE. Be prepared to live for a few moments in CLARINET HEAVEN as we’ll have several of the finest instruments manufactured today on hand for you to play test. We’ll also delighted that Sophia Rojas, from Selmer, will be here in the shop if you have any questions about these marvelous instruments.

If you haven’t been paying attention over the past couple years, you may have missed the fact that Selmer-Paris has absolutely ramped up their clarinet game. Without a doubt they are reinventing themselves as a SERIOUS manufacture of professional clarinets for use with today’s symphony orchestras. In addition to several of the brand new SeleS Présence clarinets in Bb and A, we will have on hand Selmer’s other professional clarinets, including the Privilèdge, Recital and Signature and the low C Selmer Privilèdge bass clarinet. Come with your mouthpieces and be ready to play these beautiful clarinets. If you have students, please let them know about this exciting opportunity to learn about Selmer Paris clarinets. Shown here is a link to a video about the Seles, Presence clarinet that we think you will enjoy: https://youtu.be/iraQnsqGMqo

Henri SELMER Paris unveils, under the new brand SeleS, a never before seen clarinet called Présence. Thanks to its innovative bore design, this clarinet has unique acoustic qualities that provide ease of emission, exceptional homogeneity and above all an instrument that is easy to play. The sound of the Présence clarinet is a mix of harmonic richness, and timbre; essential characteristics to the instrument. Also, the research done on the position and size of the tone holes has given this clarinet unrivalled intonation. Specially designed keys, as well as new key orientations and positions, provide unmatched mechanical precision and response combined with player comfort. Présence clarinets are available in B-flat and A with two keywork finishes available: silver or nickel as an option. An E-flat lever is also available as an option.

If you’re a clarinetist, I hope to see you out on Saturday. This really is a special event and we’re so grateful to Selmer-Paris for partnering with us to bring this opportunity to you and the St. Louis area.

Cheers,
Mark Overton
www.saxquest.com

Saxquest is thrilled to welcome to the shop for the first time saxophonist and jazz educator, Jamey Aebersold, this Saturday April 4 at Saxquest from 2pm – 4pm. As a performer and as a clinician, Jamey defines the standard for excellence.

Jamey Aebersold has become an internationally renowned resource for jazz education. In July 2013, the National Endowment for the Arts included him for its 2014 Jazz Masters award, the nation’s highest honor in jazz. Other recipients included Richard Davis, Keith Jarrett, and Anthony Braxton. He is the recipient of the 2014 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy, which is bestowed upon an individual who has contributed significantly to the appreciation, knowledge, and advancement of the art form of jazz. “Jamey Aebersold has made enormous contributions to the jazz world through his tireless efforts as a performer, educator, and publisher,” said 2000 NEA Jazz Master David Baker. “As the creator of the innovative and groundbreaking Jamey Aebersold Jazz Play-A-Long recordings series, as the longtime director of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops, as an exceptional clinician and performer, and as the publisher of an extensive catalogue of jazz materials, Jamey has revolutionized the way people practice, teach, create, and perform their music. Jamey has carried his message that ‘anyone can improvise’ and that ‘creativity is part of the nature of every person’ throughout the world to great success, impacting generations of both aspiring and established jazz performers and teachers.”

Its such a tremendous thrill for us to bring such a fantastic event to you and we thank Jazz St. Louis for their help in support of this clinic.

Well into our 2015 Concert/Clinic series it’s going to be a busy April here at Saxquest with 3 great events on our calendar. To kick April off, you’re all invited to a special wine (or non-alcoholic drink of choice) and cheese open house hosted by the Andreas Eastman Company on Thursday of this week from 4-6PM at Saxquest. We’ll host Roger Greenberg, Professor Emeritus at the University of Northern Colorado, who will be talking about saxophone manufacturing and Eastman’s role in the development of the new 52nd Street line of professional saxophones. We’ll also have an entire fleet of the new 52nd Street saxophones and other Eastman instruments for you to try including the new 52nd Street bari sax and one piece curved neck soprano.

Roger Greenberg is a classical saxophonist with a jazz background. He has been a soloist several times at the World Saxophone Congress in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan, and continues to be active nationally as a soloist and clinician. His playing credits are as diverse as having been a member of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra to being a longtime member of the Harvey Pittel Saxophone Quartet, an internationally recognized touring ensemble.

It’s with great honor that we present Roger Greenberg here at Saxquest! I hope you are able to stop in and take advantage of this rare opportunity to meet and talk directly to this important voice in our saxophone community and learn more about his involvement in designing the 52nd Street saxophone brand. This will be an informal gathering so please bring your mouthpieces to play test instruments and have a good time hanging out for an afternoon of saxophone insanity!!!